The present invention relates to sequencing, and more specifically to sequencing by pulling molecules (at a constant rate) through one medium to another medium.
Recently, there has been growing interest in applying nanopores as sensors for rapid analysis of biomolecules such as Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), Ribonucleic acid (RNA), proteins, etc. Special emphasis has been given to applications of nanopores for DNA sequencing, as the technology with the potential to reduce the cost of sequencing below $1000 per human genome.
Nanopore sequencing is a method for determining the order in which nucleotides occur on a strand of DNA. A nanopore is simply a small hole of the order of several nanometers in internal diameter. The theory behind nanopore sequencing has to do with what occurs when the nanopore is immersed in a conducting fluid and an electric potential (voltage) is applied across it: under these conditions a slight electric current due to conduction of ions through the nanopore can be measured, and the amount of current is very sensitive to the size and shape of the nanopore. If single bases or strands of DNA pass (or part of the DNA molecule passes) through the nanopore, this can create a change in the magnitude of the current through the nanopore. Other electrical or optical sensors can also be put around the nanopore so that DNA bases can be differentiated while the DNA passes through the nanopore.